High School Students to Raise Funds for Cancer Research

New Canaan High School Students Join 9th Annual Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation

(MMRF) Race for Research: Tri-State 5K Walk/Run

New Canaan High School (NCHS) students will be taking time out of a busy year-end schedule on Sunday, June 10th to participate in the 9th Annual Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Race for Research: Tri-State 5K Walk/Run at New Canaan High School. The MMRF is a cancer research foundation dedicated to the relentless pursuit and acceleration of new treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure of multiple myeloma.

The MMRF Race for Research: Tri-State 5K Walk/Run in New Canaan, CT is the cornerstone event of the MMRF race program. Kathy Giusti, a New Canaan resident, established the MMRF in 1998 after her diagnosis with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. In 2011, this impressive local event had 1,500 participants who raised over $335,000 to support the urgent work of the MMRF

“As this race is held in my family’s hometown, it holds a special place in our hearts,” said Giusti, Founder and CEO of the MMRF. “We are always so impressed by the incredible support that this event receives from the local community, our dear friends and the amazing students at NCHS.”

Guided by Lou Marinelli, head coach of the varsity football team, the NCHS community has rallied to support this event. In 2010, Marinelli created a New Canaan Rams Team for the walk/run after several families of team members were affected by multiple myeloma. NCHS Football increased their support in 2012 by adopting the MMRF as the team’s official charity beneficiary.

“Although multiple myeloma is a rare disease, it has seriously impacted the Rams’ Football family,” said Marinelli. “We are proud to support the MMRF and their important work.”

The MMRF is extending an invitation to all New Canaan residents to join forces with the students of New Canaan High School by participating in this year’s MMRF Race for Research: Tri-State 5K Walk/Run. To register for the event, sign up on the event website before June 7 at www.themmrf.org/tristate5k or sign up in person on June 10 at the event.

Funds raised through the MMRF Race for Research Program contribute to the mission of bringing patients life-extending treatments and a cure. Significant MMRF achievements made possible by such funding include opening 38 clinical trials with 21 novel myeloma treatments, sequencing the multiple myeloma genome and initiating CoMMpass℠ – a groundbreaking, landmark study designed to uncover the molecular segments and variations in multiple myeloma. The most ambitious study of its kind in multiple myeloma, the CoMMpass study is the cornerstone of the larger MMRF Personalized Medicine Initiative, intended to help accelerate a cure.

The MMRF welcomes everyone to join in their upcoming events in the Tri-State area events including teams for the New York Triathlon on July 8, 2012, the Ironman U.S. Championship in New York City on August 11, 2012 and the ING New York City Marathon on November 4, 2012. Additionally, the 15th Anniversary MMRF Fall Gala will be held on October 27, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Old Greenwich, CT. To participate, support, or learn about all MMRF events, please visit: www.themmrf.org/events.

About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was established in 1998 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by twin sisters Karen Andrews and Kathy Giusti, soon after Kathy’s diagnosis with multiple myeloma. The mission of the MMRF is to relentlessly pursue innovative means that accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure. As the world’s number-one private funder of multiple myeloma research, the MMRF has raised over $190 million since its inception and directs 90% of total budget to research and related programming. As a result, the MMRF has been awarded Charity Navigator’s coveted four star rating for nine consecutive years, the highest designation for outstanding fiscal responsibility and exceptional efficiency. For more information about the MMRF, please visit www.themmrf.org.

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer. The five-year relative survival rate for multiple myeloma is approximately 38 percent, one of the lowest of all cancers. In 2012, more than 20,000 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma and nearly 11,000 people are predicted to die from the disease.